Suggestions on buying an extended service plan?

Many people want them and like them but; just my opinion- Over the course of a lifetime you will come out ahead financially by avoiding all extended warranties on all products and just pay as you go for needed repairs. Statistically it has to be this way; otherwise; the ext. warranty companies would fail eventually. Of course, if you are a person who has no cash reserves for repairs then maybe you need the discipline of making a payment in advance but you will pay more in the long run.